Trademarks of a Dangerous Government

You know the signs of a government run amok. We've seen the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, Iran, and other countries' governments do dastardly things to preserve, if not outright abuse, the establishment's power base.

Here are some more easily recognized hallmarks of a bad government:

1) Abuses its citizens, such as by torturing them or throwing them in jail without the chance for a fair hearing

2) Manipulates public information so as to hide evidence that contradicts its position

3) Spies on its citizens without the oversight of an independent judiciary

4) Diverts funds intended for the public good, such as healthcare or research, to military build-up and private enterprise (usually those close to government officials)

5) Rewrites and reinterprets existing laws so as to validate previously illegal (or quasi-legal) activities

6) Behaves aggressively towards other countries, especially those that have valuable resources, yet pose little or no threat

7) Converts the media into a propaganda tool

8) Relies heavily on fear tactics to maintain power

It's good to know that the Bush administration is trying its best to rid the world of those awful governments that do these terrible things. After all, one such government is plenty.